Life as an ABC taxi driver is an open door to new experiences. You’ll get to see every inch of Norwich as you drive people to where they want to go. You will be an integral part of peoples’ journeys to and from their destinations, and whether or not they arrive at their destinations promptly, and satisfied with their journeys. However, the job you’re taking on is also not without risk. While most members of the public are regular, everyday people looking to get from one location to another, it’s also without doubt that some will attempt to exploit, rob or harm you. Here are some top tips for brand new drivers to ensure that you’re providing the best service you possibly can, whilst also remaining as safe as you possibly can.

Know Your Area

One of the keys to providing an excellent taxi service is to know the area in which you operate like the back of your hand. While the days of taxi drivers needing this knowledge in the most literal sense are gone, your sat nav won’t always be reliable or accurate, and your passengers still want to arrive at their destinations, rather than a five-minute walk away. Studying the area you’re covering will provide you with an instant vault of knowledge to access that will vastly improve your service, allowing you to pick the best routes that will allow your passengers to reach their destinations in the most timely possible manner.

Kick the Tyre

Make sure to check your vehicle inside and out before you start your shift. Hopping into the driver’s seat and taking off like a rocket is a surefire way to burden yourself with equipment failures and car trouble along the way, wasting time that could be better spent ferrying potential passengers. Taxis are constantly in use and in service, so the potential for failures is much higher than your regular old car. In order to provide the best possible service, perform a quick roster of checks every time you start a shift.

Be Alert

While driving a taxi might feel exactly the same as driving your own car, you’re providing a service to others. Careful driving is even more essential in your taxi than it is when you’re off the clock. Remain alert at all times to goings-on on the road and on the pavement so that you and your passengers are as safe as you can possibly be.

Keep it Clean

No one wants to step into a taxi and be assaulted by unwelcome smells and dirt. While you might let your personal car fill up with empty takeaway bags, coffee cups and empty packets, your taxi should be a haven of cleanliness to ensure that your passengers have the most pleasant possible experience. And that goes for cleaning up their mess too. Taxi driving isn’t all sunshine and roses, and sometimes grubby passengers will leave their mess for you to clean up. Keeping on top of this is a chore, but a necessary one for the comfort of your passengers and for the reputations of you and ABC.

Cash Bags and Receipt Pads

While ABC is a thoroughly modern company, with its fleet of electric cars and digital payment system, there are many who still carry cash on them, and they’ll want to use it in your taxi. Keeping bags of cash and change is a necessity for any driver, and keeping them well-organised is even better. This will allow you to deliver change to your passengers as quickly and efficiently as possible, saving dead time between journeys and increasing your efficiency.

Don’t Flash the Cash

Another undeniable factor in taxi driving is your susceptibility to crime. Taxi drivers operate at all hours of the day and night, and while most people are perfectly kind, courteous and pleasant, there’s a chance you’ll run into some unsavoury characters. Those looking to rob taxis are almost always looking for cash. They know there’s a good chance you have it on you. This is another reason why it’s so necessary to keep your cash well organised; it allows you to conceal it more effectively. It’s best not to discuss how much cash you may or may not have on you with any passenger, they might be sizing you up to see if they can attempt a robbery.

Study Emergency Procedures

In the event of any emergency during your shift, it’s vital to be aware of safety procedures. These procedures are there to help you deal with any emergency you might encounter, and following them is the best way to resolve any issue quickly and effectively. Being able to recall these procedures accurately and implement them competently is the mark of an excellent taxi driver. It’s not just about commitment to the daily rigors of the job, it’s knowing exactly what to do in an emergency, and keeping a cool head and a steady hand whilst doing so.

Over the past few years in major cities all over the world, there has been a lot of noise about the influx of ridesharing companies such as Uber and Lyft taking business away from long-running local taxi firms. While Norwich is probably too small of a city to ever have to deal with this issue, it has been big news in places like London, Manchester and Birmingham, to name but a few. The appeal of the app-based rideshare companies is easy to see: open an app, press a button and a few minutes later a car turns up and gets you to where you want to go much cheaper than if you were to call a cab. That’s how it’s supposed to go on paper, anyway. Unsurprisingly, here at ABC, we feel that when it comes to the competition between traditional cabs and using an app, a traditional cab wins every time. Not convinced? Read on to hear our reasons why, and hopefully you’ll have a change of heart!

You get some actual human to human contact

While it seems that technology nowadays is specifically geared towards limiting human contact when carrying out everyday tasks, the fact that traditional taxi companies have someone, often an office, you can call with any issues is a huge plus. Imagine you lose a valuable item in an Uber and don’t realise until a couple of hours later, you have to rely on the driver answering a call from an unknown number in order to get it back if it hasn’t already been picked up by another customer and pocketed! Having a reliable point of contact for when something goes wrong provides much more peace of mind, especially if you’re in an unfamiliar city, so think twice before ordering that Uber!

You get to take advantage of cab drivers encyclopaedic knowledge

It’s a well-known fact that cab drivers in London have to memorise every road within a 6-mile radius of the centre of London and be able to recall from memory the fastest way to get from A to B, and that’s before they even get a license! Local cab drivers are more often than not from the area, so if you need to get somewhere fast, there’s nobody better to take you. 

You can be assured of your safety

Licensed cab drivers have a duty of care towards their passengers, and it is part of their job to make sure that they do everything in their power to ensure you get to your destination safely. Rideshare companies do not have the same obligations to license their drivers, or the same level of scrutinisation when it comes to hiring. So if you’re in a city that you’re unfamiliar with, the best step you can take to ensure your safety is to use a license cab provider based in the area. While 99% of drivers for app-based rideshare companies will work under the same duty of care to their passengers as a licensed cab driver, a small minority may not, and it’s better to be safe than sorry! 

You can budget more effectively using a taxi

Most taxi providers will be able to tell you exactly how much the fare will be in advance, unlike when you use an app. Furthermore, local taxi companies very rarely, if ever, hike their rates based on how much demand there is on their service like the apps do. This means that you’ll avoid opening your app and staring in horror at the fact that prices have been quadrupled because it’s Saturday at 11 pm and everyone’s wanting to go to town. 

More availability of larger vehicles

While the availability of standard cars on apps like Uber and Lyft will often mean you have a very small wait, often only 3-5 minutes, when it comes to trying to transport more people you’ll often be left high and dry. Local taxi companies exist in order to provide a great service to their clients, and as such, they will often have a fleet of larger vehicles for groups of up to 8 people to make sure everyone gets to the party on time and together! 

We hope we’ve convinced you to think twice next time you go to open that app and book your rideshare. Local taxi companies thrive on the patronage of their valued customers, so if you can get a local cab, do it and enjoy the fact that, in the process, you’re supporting a local business that employs local people. Win!

Whether you need a ride home from the shops with your heavy shopping, headed to the airport on holiday or returning home after a big night out, a taxi is a great option for when driving isn’t convenient. Whether you’re a taxi regular or a total novice, it goes without saying that you want to have a pleasant journey every time, so to aid you in that we’ve compiled a quick and easy do’s and don’ts list to cover any eventuality that might occur next time you find yourself in need of a ride!

Chatting To The Driver

DO – feel free to speak as little or as much as you want to. Taxi drivers love having a chat with their passengers, it’s a great way to pass the journey and makes a long day behind the wheel much more pleasant. With all the different types of people that take a taxi, it’s a great opportunity to learn about other people’s lives which is endlessly interesting!

DON’T – deliberately distract the driver. While a conversation is great, being extremely loud or trying to get the driver to take their eyes off the road is extremely dangerous. At all times the driver’s priority is getting you to your destination safely, so chat away, but if the driver needs to take a moment to focus on the road, ensure that you allow them to do their job in the safest way they can!

Having A Drink

DO – enjoy a drink before taking your taxi. We’re all human, and it’s only natural that if you’re on your way out, or on your way home, you’d want to indulge yourself a little and have as much fun as possible. Taxi drivers love the fact that they can be a small part in your great night out!

DON’T – get too drunk. We’ve all been there, your mate’s a little too far gone and vomits all over the taxi, incurring a pretty hefty fine. It’s a horrible situation for everyone – the driver can’t earn while their car is dirty, and you’ll have to find an alternative route home. If you feel like you’ve had a little bit too much, drink some water and try to sit outside to sober up before setting foot in your cab!

Giving Directions

DO – let the driver know if you have a preferred route at the beginning of the journey. We want to get you from A to B as quickly as possible, so if you know a great route, please let the driver know! After all, if you know the area, you’ll likely be able to help them out! Whatever we can do to accommodate you and make your journey more pleasant, we will gladly oblige!

DON’T – shout directions at the driver while they are driving. It seems obvious, but while the driver is in motion, it’s extremely important not to distract him. It’s understandable that if heavy traffic is encountered and you know a great alternative you’ll want to let the driver know, so if this is the case ask them to pull over so you can advise them in order to allow the driver to maintain 100% focus while driving.

Late Taxi

DO – call the office for an update. They will know exactly where your cab is and be able to indicate an accurate ETA. If traffic is heavy or there is an accident sometimes lateness can be unavoidable, but the office should have an idea as to why any delays have taken place so they are the best place to start.

DON’T – be aggressive towards or call the driver. If you have the driver’s number do not call them to ask them where they are as they are more likely than not driving and will not be able to respond. Do not behave negatively towards the driver if they are late as when driving there are a number of factors outside the driver’s control and it is more than likely this was the cause of their lateness.

Big Parties

DO – call the office and request a larger cab in advance of your journey. Most cab companies will be able to accommodate larger parties, however due to the generally lower availability of these vehicles, advanced booking is essential.

DON’T – assume you can cram more people in the taxi. It is illegal for taxi drivers to carry more passengers than their car can officially accommodate, so do not ask if one of your friends can sit in your lap or go in the boot. While it may seem amusing, doing so would risk the taxi driver facing prosecution, so it’s best not to go there!

If you need to get somewhere but driving isn’t an option, contact ABC via phone, our app or our website to book a great value taxi quickly and easily.